


Mischief Worse Than Civil Home-bred Strife

by elwon



Series: Madness & Mischief [4]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU (Comics)
Genre: Anal Sex, Dirty Talk, Family Falling Out, Frottage, Light D/s, M/M, Rough Sex, Semi-Public Sex, The Family Finds Out
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-04
Updated: 2018-07-04
Packaged: 2019-06-05 06:33:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15164747
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elwon/pseuds/elwon
Summary: After an incident on patrol, the family finds out about Dick and J. It goes surprisingly well, until it doesn’t.





	Mischief Worse Than Civil Home-bred Strife

**Author's Note:**

> Title taken from Venus and Adonis by Shakespeare.

There’s something about being on his knees and having his face pushed down into the mattress by J’s hand between his shoulder blades that gives Dick the best feeling in the world. His fingers are clenching in the sheets and he’s pretty sure he’s drooling but he doesn’t care because there’s nothing better than having Jason balls deep inside him, almost using him for his own pleasure. It makes the blood pound in his veins, pulse spiking high, nerves alight in ecstasy as he’s stretched wide around his girth.

“Fuck, you really love this don’t you?” Jason growls behind him and Dick can only whine in response, too far gone to form words. “You want it so bad, don’t you, baby? Well maybe you should take it, then.”

Dick doesn’t get what he means, rubbing his face into the mattress and panting. That is until J stops thrusting entirely. Dick’s still rocking with the momentum before he realises that he’s the only one moving. Dick tentatively rolls back on J’s cock, crying out when he brushes that spot that makes him see stars behind his eyelids.

“Yeah, _fuck yeah_ , just like that kid. Fuck yourself on me.” Jason groans and Dick whimpers, moving harder and faster as much as he can with J’s weight still pressing between his shoulder blades. Dick feels desperate, small and needy, taking what he needs from Jason. It edges right up to humiliation, the feeling overwhelming him until he realises that J’s thumb is stroking down his spine, and the deep growl of his voice separates out into actual words of praise. “Fuck you’re so good, you’re doing so well for me. So fucking perfect, Dickie...”

The shameful feelings are overridden by the love J’s giving him, seeing Dick for what he really is and wanting him, caring for him anyway. Dick’s slamming himself back now, working himself on Jason in very familiar way, but somehow being face down for this makes it feel exciting and new and Dick can’t hold back anymore, tears slipping from his eyes as he comes hard, clenching down on J silently, going limp and pliant below him. Dick breathes hard, not caring about anything but laying there enjoying the quiet in his head and the feel of J’s hands on him.

Jason pulls out and Dick makes a gasping moan of protest. J flips him onto his back, pushing his knees up to his ears and sinking back in easily. Dick looks up at him, taking in the fierce concentration on his face that slips into an open vulnerable look that makes Dick’s heart flip in chest. Dick has to look down, away from that vulnerability, and it gives him the perfect view of J’s long, thick cock sliding in and out of his hole so sweetly. It takes a few tries but Dick gets his hands to respond and lift up to brush through J’s hair, pushing it away from his face. 

J slams in hard, over and over, almost too hard and Dick winces. Now that he’s not chasing his own pleasure, J’s hard thrusts are tipping over into painful. He’s about to ask him to ease off when he looks back up at J’s face and the words die in his throat. Jason’s never looked so lost in ecstasy before, eyes shut and brows creasing faintly as his mouth drops open and quiet breathy gasps slip out. J snarls, slamming in so hard Dick whines despite himself, once, twice, and again before J stiffens and collapses onto him. Dick wraps his arms around his boyfriend and revels in the full skin contact. 

***

Dick winces as he walks from the bedroom into the kitchen area. He eyes the stool and then decides that sitting is just asking for trouble. J turns around from the counter top and offers him a cup of coffee that Dick gratefully accepts, leaning back against the counter top next to him.

“You can sit, yanno?” J says with an amused look on his face.

“No, no, I really can’t.” Dick says, taking a sip of his coffee. It’s strong and milky and perfect. J always makes it the way Dick prefers it.

“I feel like I should apologise, but _fuck_ , it felt good to go that hard.” J says, looking slightly sheepish, and turning away to grab his own tea.

“I don’t mind.” Dick says to a disbelieving J. “Well, ok, I didn’t mind at the time. In retrospect, it was a little too much considering I’ve got to go on patrol later.”

“I’ll make it up to you.” J says, leaning over to brush a gentle kiss on Dick’s cheek.

“Actually... I know a way you could do that?” Dick says, gripping his mug tightly, nervous to ask this because he’s afraid that J will shoot him down straight away.

“Oh? And how’s that?” J smirks, and it’s obvious he’s thinking of sex. Dick’s about to disappoint him, and he hates that. But he needs to ask this. It’s eating him up inside.

“I want you to meet up with me, Alfred and Damian.” Dick says, watching closely as J’s face falls and shutters closed. Dick can’t figure out what J’s thinking, but he keeps going, knowing that this is probably his only chance. “I was thinking we could meet at a coffee shop. Y’know, neutral ground? You could be waiting for us, and if it goes badly, you can make a run for it without a scene and Damian won’t be able to follow you...”

“Kid... Dick. I think that’s the worst idea you’ve come up with, and you’re the one who tracked down my grave.” J scoffs, but the exasperation is shot through with regret.

“Please think about it?” Dick says trying not to let his heart escape through his mouth. “I get you don’t want to see any of them, except maybe Alfred... But I hate having to sneak around Damian. It’s starting to creep into Batman and Robin and that’s not fair on either of us. Any of us. You included.”

“I can’t see any way that doesn’t end in disaster, baby.” J says, looking away. Dick’s trying his best to get them together, so if J refuses Dick knows it’s not his fault.

“I know. But at least this way, if it goes badly it’s all on Damian?” If Jason doesn’t go for this, then Dick will drop the subject. Upsetting J isn’t worth it.

“You really need this?” J says, staring into his mug of tea like it could swallow him, saving him from meeting the ‘in-laws’.

“Yes. I want... I need to introduce them to my boyfriend. You don’t have to stay long. Just for one coffee?” Dick says, seeing it play out in his mind, J sitting at a table near the back of a coffee shop, Dick arriving with Damian pushing Alfred’s wheelchair, making their way over to Jason with cups of coffee to smooth over the initial awkwardness. Even if Damian’s hostile, the public setting will stop him from attacking J, and with Dick and Alfred there, if J leaves suddenly, they’ll be able to stop Damian from following him. 

“ _Fuck_ , I can’t believe I’m actually agreeing to this. But... OK.” J puts his mug of tea down and walks over to the fridge, grabbing a bottle of vodka from the freezer section.

“OK?” Dick blinks in surprise. “Really?” If J means it then Dick’s not even going to comment on J pouring himself a large vodka right now. 

“It’s gonna be a grade A shitshow, but yeah.” J sighs, looking tired and unhappier than Dick wanted to ever see him look at the thought of meeting Alfred. 

“Lemme know where and when and I’ll be there.”

***

Dick hasn’t quite had time to arrange the coffee date with Alfred and Damian yet. If he’s honest he’s been putting it off for J’s sake. But none of that matters anymore. Dick can hear a horrible scream as he swings over to the building across the street. 

They’d been on patrol, just a normal regular patrol, when they’d had the report that the Red Hood was battling Firefly in the financial district. They’d got there moments before the Red Hood had swung up to a higher vantage point and Firefly had sent out a plume of fire, burning his grapple line. The line had broken as J had swung out further and higher and then fallen. 

It’s a minor miracle that he’d landed on a rooftop below, and not the street, but Dick can’t think of that right now. All he can think of is getting to Jason. His heart is in his mouth and all he can hear over the thin scream in the background is the sound of his parents’ bodies landing on the floor of the big top years ago.

He lands near to J, running over and skidding to his knees as he reaches his side. His arm is bent at a sickening angle, and it looks like the back of his helmet is shattered and he’ll be pissed about that when he wakes up, Dick thinks, but otherwise everything looks like it’s where it should be. Dick reaches out with shaking hands and gentle unlatches the helmet, taking care not to jostle J’s head and neck.

It isn’t until Damian lands next to him that Dick realises that he’s the one screaming.

***

Dick’s not truly paying any attention to anything but J. He’s clinging on to his limp left hand as Superman lifts J onto a stretcher. He’s not paying attention to anything Damian’s saying. He doesn’t even know when or how Damian called for Superman, but he knows that if Clark’s here then J’s going to be OK. At least physically. J might be about to be locked up, or traumatised by an unexpected confrontation with Bruce, but at least he’ll be alive to do that.

Dick doesn’t notice when they all arrive back at the cave. He’s not even sure how they got back here. He does notice Damian gently pull him back from J though. He almost fights against it, but Damian’s soft calm voice finally penetrates the terrified fog his mind went into and he lets Alfred and Damian work on Jason as he sits a few feet away.

Sometime later, J’s wrapped in enough bandages to be a bit part in a mummy movie, still asleep and hooked up to machines that beep at a reassuringly regular frequency. Dick’s back at his side, holding his hand and trying not to panic. He looks up when Damian comes to sit next to him.

“Alfred tells me he should be fine. The helmet took most of the damage. His body armour has a surprisingly high degree of shock absorption. Apart from the broken bone and the lacerations on his face and torso, he should be fine. If there is any brain damage, we’ll know soon.” Damian frowns, and pulls his pushed back cowl off completely. “He did call Father and Drake, though. They’ll be here soon. You may wish to ...sit back a little? I’m not sure how Father will react to this.”

“This? React to what?” Dick says, still shaken and not firing on all cylinders.

“Todd being here. That we may have the opportunity to stop the Red Hood once and for all. Your close relationship. All of the above?” Damian says, resting a gloved hand on Dick’s shoulder. “You many want to brace yourself for the incoming interrogation.”

“And what interrogation is that?” Bruce says from behind Damian. To his credit, Damian simply turns and gives Bruce a bland stare.

“The one you will no doubt give us both over how this incident happened. Father.” Damian manages to stay calm in the face of Bruce’s displeasure. Dick has no idea how he does it.

“And how did it happen?” Bruce grits out, and Dick somehow manages not to flinch, but it still feels like Bruce is blaming him for this.

“I’m sure you were given the full details on the way over, Father. Don’t be disingenuous.” Damian says, level and calm. Dick wishes he could feel like that. 

“Fine. How is he?” Bruce says, looking over at Jason’s sleeping form.

“We’ll know more once he wakes up. He has surprisingly light injuries given the height of the fall.” Damian shrugs.

“I’m told Robin took his helmet off in the field.” Bruce says accusingly, turning to look at Dick for the first time since arriving. “How did you know how to do that?”

“I... I, um.” Dick can’t find the words. Doesn’t know whether to lie or tell the truth. He feels like crying and he twists to look at Damian, needing his Batman to support him.

“Why does that matter? Todd’s headgear was mostly shattered. A child could have removed it.” Damian says, stepping in. Bruce looks between the two of them with a narrowed suspicious glare.

“I will get to the bottom of this.” Bruce turns on his heel and sweeps off to review the computer footage as he’s still wearing the cape.

“Damian... I.” Dick starts, wanting to thank him for covering with Bruce, but not knowing how.

“I know.” Damian says quietly. “Todd is your mystery boyfriend. I know.”

“But how?” Dick stares at Damian, wondering where he went wrong with hiding it.

“I’m. _Batman_.” Damian grits out exasperated. “You’ve been sneaking out for months to meet your mystery man. You’ve been calmer and more focused in the field. Happier even. You worked out in less than a month what the rest of failed to do in _years_. It didn’t take much thought to realise that you’d been in contact with Todd.”

“Oh... I uh.” Dick stammers, unsure whether or not to confirm it.

“Add to that, Todd’s behaviour over the same time period. Less violent, less killing. You seem to be good for each other.” Damian continues as if Dick hadn’t spoken.

“Wait, do you actually approve?” Dick says, feeling utterly confused and a bit embarrassed. He’d really thought Damian had no idea.

“ _Approval_ is far too strong a word. I don’t like that your relationship is romantic. But I can’t deny the results of you two socialising are ...better than anyone could have imagined.” Damian sighs gustily. “Father, Drake and Pennyworth are the ones you need to worry about. They’re the ones who will have objections based on ‘family’.”

“You don’t?” Dick asks, voice small.

“I never considered Todd a brother. Not truly. I sincerely doubt _he_ considers me family. I think that objection is moot.” Damian shrugs. 

“What do I do?” Dick says, staring up at Damian, letting his confusion show as much as he dares. 

“If I might interject, Master Richard?” Alfred says, wheeling himself silently over to check on Jason. “If you truly have strong feeling for Master Jason, then I suggest you fight for him.” Dick gapes at Alfred as he looks at the readouts before gently brushing a lock of hair from J’s forehead.

“I... was going to?” Dick says, feeling off balance.

“Ah, you look surprised that I know?” Alfred says with a wry twist to his lips. “My dear boy, I know everything that goes on in this house. Why would you think this is any different?”

“You don’t mind?” This is the absolute worse way that Dick could have had this relationship come to light, and weirdly, it’s going surprisingly well.

“No. I’ve seen too much in my life to not accept when two people are clearly as in love as you and Master Jason are. After all, I’ve seen the same things as Master Damian.” Alfred says, patting Dick’s shoulder comfortingly. That small touch is what Dick needs, and he’s grateful to Alfred for it. 

“Tt. He’s being modest. He’s the one that pointed it out to me.” Damian grumbles.

***

It doesn’t turn into an all out argument until much later than Dick thought it would. Bruce called the entire family in, apart from Cassandra who is still in Hong Kong, and it’s not until Tim starts reviewing the cowl and street camera footage that the secret comes out.

“Did you know?” Tim shouts at Damian angrily, out of nowhere for most of the people gathered around Jason’s bedside, attempting to calmly discuss what should happen once Jason wakes up. “Did you know that Jason and Dick are fucking, _Damian_?” 

“There’s no need to scream, Drake. I can hear you perfectly.” Damian says dismissively, turning back to the readouts on J’s monitors from looking over at Tim, shouting.

“Answer the question!” Tim yells, grabbing for Damian’s shoulder but missing as Damian sidesteps him.

“What the hell is going on?” Stephanie says, stepping in between them both and giving them disappointed looks. “Tim, calm down, screeching does no one any good. Damian, answer the question.”

Alfred has stilled next to Jason’s head, and Dick, who’s sitting just a little too far away to hold his hand, holds his breath while Damian stubbornly says nothing.

“Damian?” Bruce asks, and he has that old Batman quality to his voice, the one that sounds like he’s gargling with gravel.

“Father?” Damian looks over to him with the superior attitude that used to drive Dick crazy until he realised that Damian often used it as both a weapon and a shield.

“Is this true?” Bruce says, and to Dick’s selfish relief all eyes are on Damian and not him.

“I was aware they were in contact.” Damian admits with a shrug. “Socialising, if you will. I wasn’t about to categorise their relationship without actually speaking to Grayson _first_.” He throws Tim a significant look after saying that, but Tim’s too incensed to realise he’s being called out for outing Dick and Jason.

“You let this carry on?” Bruce asks, all accusations unspoken, but glaring in his eyes. Lesser men have confessed all their sins to that look, Dick knows, but Damian doesn’t even blink.

“Grayson was in no danger. Todd’s never lifted a finger to him, not on patrol, not elsewhere.” Damian scoffs. “In fact, Todd has, on at least three separate occasions, gone out of his way to make sure that Grayson’s come to no harm on patrol, and at least one incident occurred while Grayson was out as a civilian.” Dick feels the burn of humiliation as he realises that Damian’s referring to the very first time he met J. 

“You have no way of knowing that’s true. You don’t understand what Jason’s capable of.” Bruce grits out and Dick wants to protest that he knows J pretty well by now, knows what he’d do.

“Both time and their behaviour were more than enough proof that it’s true that Todd is protective of and cares for Grayson.” Damian snaps, finally losing some of his calm. “Enough so that he told Grayson where his grave was. Gave him the information to finally fill in the gaps in our files.”

“What!” Tim yells again, and even Alfred winces at the volumes he’s reaching.

“Did you think that information just magically appeared, Drake?” Damian snorts in cold amusement. “No, Grayson took the time to earn Todd’s trust, and as a result solved the one case none of us could.”

“He should never have been in that situation!” Tim snarls out at Damian. “It was too dangerous. And look at what’s happened now.”

“By that logic, he should not have been given the mantle of Robin either.” Damian turns away to look at Jason’s feet, clearly done trying to explain to Tim.

“Stephanie, say something!” Tim turns to her, exasperated and wanting support.

“I don’t know what you expect me to say, Tim.” Stephanie sighs, looking over at Dick and Jason. “Dick obviously cares a great deal about him. And if Jason’s really been protecting Dick like Damian claims, then Jason probably feels the same. I don’t see what’s so bad about it.”

“You don’t... How can you not...” Bruce starts and stops suddenly, chewing on his words and clearly to frustrated with the entire situation to even finish a single sentence. 

“Look at them, Bruce. Look at Dick.” Damian says, gesturing with one hand at the two of them.

“He...” Dick clears his throat, eyes watering at finally having attention turned to him. “He agreed to meet Damian and Alfred. Because I didn’t want to sneak around anymore. He agreed that for me.”

“This is nonsense and I won’t hear any more of it!” Tim snaps out, turning on his heel and all but running out of the cave.

“Jason is sick. Once he wakes I’m having him transferred to Arkham Asylum. This isn’t up for discussion.” Bruce declares with finality. “Richard, I don’t believe you visiting him will help him. I’ll allow you to say goodbye, but that will be the end of this.” Bruce doesn’t wait for an answer, sweeping away up the stairs after Tim.

“I’ll try and talk Tim round.” Stephanie step over to Dick and pats him on the shoulder. “For what it’s worth, congrats on getting a ten, Dickie. If Jason weren’t the Red Hood he’d be even more of a catch.” Stephanie says quietly with a smile that doesn’t hide the sadness in her eyes.

In the silence of Stephanie slipping away up the stairs to try and reason with Tim; Dick, Alfred and Damian share a worried look.

“We’re not letting him do that, right? Jason doesn’t need Arkham he needs... Freedom.” Dick looks at Damian, pleading with his whole body that Damian will say no.

“Father is not likely to change his mind, Grayson. But we can try.” Damian looks entirely unconvinced by what he’s saying. Dick knows Bruce won’t listen to anything they have to say.

“Master Jason won’t take this well once he wakes up.” Alfred says sadly, hands folded on his lap.

“He... Jason. He prefers J now. The initial, not the nickname.” Dick says, biting back the sob that wants to emerge from his throat.

“Master J... yes. Thank you, Master Richard.” Alfred says, sadness making him at least ten years older than he looked yesterday, and Dick feels even worse. He didn’t think that could be possible.

“Grayson.” Damian sighs heavily. “Richard, we will figure it out. Even if it means ignoring Father’s orders.”

***

Dick isn’t allowed near the medbay while Alfred runs the battery of tests after J wakes up. He sits by the stairs watching as Alfred wheels himself around and J futilely tries to break free of his restraints. He feels sick to his stomach watching as Bruce interrogates ( _interrogates!_ ) J. J, for his part, refuses to say a single word to Bruce, rage glittering in his eyes, visible even from the distance that Dick’s sitting at. The one time Bruce gets close enough to J, he spits in his face, and Dick watches with a heavy heart as Bruce stalks away, face set hard and dripping with J’s saliva.

Alfred wheels himself over into plain sight of Dick and gives him a slight nod. By the time Dick’s run down the stairs and made it over to the medbay, Damian’s come from the other direction. J glares at them both when they draw closer, and doesn’t stop glaring until Dick frantically undoes his wrist restraints, Damian working on his opposite ankle. Behind them, Alfred wheels up with the remains of J’s gear in his lap.

“What the fuck is this?” J snarls, rubbing at his wrists as soon as they’re both free, and twisting his legs over the side of the bed.

“This is your one and only escape attempt, Todd. If what Grayson says is true, and my Mother taught you anything, then you’ll have left Gotham by the time Father comes back down to the cave.” Damian says, infuriatingly calmly considering the situation.

“You seriously fucking expect me to believe you’re letting me go. Against _his_ orders?” J scoffs, rolling his eyes.

“Yes.” Damian’s short and blunt and to the point response makes Jason stop and stare at them.

“Master Bruce is ...overreacting. I’ve failed you enough in your first life, my boy, I won’t do it a second time. This is all I can do for you.” Alfred says quietly, handing Jason his jacket.

“Alfred...” J starts, trailing off with a sad look on his face as he pulls on his jackets and checks the pockets. Alfred raises an eyebrow at him, and Jason grins sheepishly before grabbing the rest of his things out of Alfred’s lap. “Sorry, Alfred. I like to check everything’s there anyway.”

“We don’t have time for this. You need to leave.” Damian says, stopping the moment before it has time to really get going. J glares at him briefly before turning to Dick.

“Dickie, wait.” J reaches out for him, and Dick moves over wrapping his arms around his waist for a quick hug.

“You have to go, J. At least for now. Come on.” Dick starts pulling J away from the medbay and out into the cave proper.

“Goddamnit, _fine_. But I’m coming back for you. Wait for me OK? I’m coming back for you.” J says, voice full of anger, but letting himself be pulled along by Dick anyway.

“I will. _I will_ , J, but you have to go!”Dick pleads with him, wishing Jason would at least start walking faster if nothing else.

“Grayson, take the car, get Todd to ...wherever he needs to go.” Damian says, walking past them and towards the computers. “I can only loop the security cameras for one more minute before Father will get suspicious.”

“You’re really letting me leave. After all I’ve done?” J calls out, disbelieving.

“Trust me Todd, unless you change your ways this is a onetime deal. I’m doing this for Gray... Richard. I’m doing this for my Robin.” Damian calls over his shoulder.

“I’ll take it.” J shrugs, and finally puts some more speed into his steps.

“J, come on, let’s go!” Dick opens the door to the car and climbs in.

“Alfred. You didn’t fail me, OK? You’re the one person who didn’t.” Jason turns and starts walking backwards to yell his goodbye to Alfred. “Thank you. I gotta go.”

“Go my boy. Go.” Alfred calls back, lifting a hand to wave at him. Jason jumps in the car and Dick switches on the ignition, bringing the car to life with a roar. They drive out of the cave as fast as Dick dares.

“So, where to?” Dick asks, heart beating up into his throat again as they leave the Wayne estate and pull out onto the main road.

“Get into the city, I’ll tell you from there.” J says, strapping in and staring at the interior of the car. “Fuck, this thing hasn’t changed a bit, has it?”

“Probably not. Damian rejigs things all the time, but interiors are not his thing.” Dick says, fighting down hysteria. They fall into awkward silence as Dick drives. They have so much to say to each other, but Dick doesn’t dare speak. It feels too much like a final goodbye, and Dick can’t take the thought of that.

“Where am I taking you? And where will you go? After you get out of the city I mean?” Dick says, eventually breaking the fragile silence, once they reach the bridge from the mainland to the islands.

“The docks. And I don’t know. Santa Prisca again, maybe? It’s always been good to me.” J shrugs, trying to play casual. “I’ll send you a postcard, from wherever I end up.”

“Just a postcard?” Dick bites his lip, he doesn’t want a postcard. He wants J. In the back of his mind a small voice says he should offer to go with him, but Dick’s scared of that voice and what it means.

“Well. Maybe if you’re real nice, a dick pic or two.” Jason says, snorting softly, but Dick can hear a slight thread of panic in it.

“You’ll call, right?” Dick tightens his grip on the steering wheel, staring out of the windscreen so hard to stop the tears from rising. He heads for the docks, taking all the shortcuts he knows. It feels like it takes no time at all before they’re drawing near.

“Of course. And email. And text. You’ll get sick of me.” Jason reaches out and slides his hand onto Dick’s knee. The heat of it seeps through his clothes and it feels like it’s burning a brand into Dick’s skin. Property of Jason Todd. 

“No, no I won’t.” Dick says, his throat closing up around his heart. Dick pulls up at the entrance to the docks, looking over at J, trying to memorise his face. 

“It’s not forever. It won’t even be a couple of months, Dickie. I promise. If death couldn’t keep me away from you, then Bruce fucking Wayne’s attempts to put me in Arkham won’t either.” J says, sliding his hand around the back of Dick’s neck to cradle it gently. 

“I love you, J.” Dick whispers, and rubs at the tears that finally slide down his face.

“I love you too, baby.” J says smiling sadly. “Now get back home safe, OK?” J gets out and shuts the car door quietly, slipping into the shadows of the docks. Dick waits for a minute before turning the car around and heading home.

***

Three long months have passed since Dick last saw Jason. 

Dick feels irritable, ready to crawl out of his skin. Despite daily text messages, weekly emails and phone calls at least twice a week, none of it makes up for not seeing J in person, feeling his touch and the heat of his skin, the weight of his arms wrapping around Dick and the soft, gentle kisses that J always presses to his hair as if Dick doesn’t notice him doing it. 

It’s Dick’s night off, and he’s gone into the city to attempt to blow off some steam by hitting up a club and dancing his cares away. He walks past all his usual haunts and none of them appeal to him. He stares at the lines of people trying to forget their daily worries by partying just like he is and he feels the distance between them like it’s an uncrossable ocean. Dick turns away and starts walking along the brightly lit street, wishing J was beside him. Not that they’d ever been able to do something as mundane and simple as take a walk together, not that it matters now.

He could have called any of his friends to help him with his blues, but honestly, the thought of letting anyone in right now makes him want to run. Damian and Alfred have given him space to deal with his feelings in his own time, and Bruce and Tim... Well, they’re not really on speaking terms right now. They’ll work with him well enough over comms. and in Tim’s case, on patrol, but everything feels strained to breaking point. In the gutter, Dick spots a book of matches emblazoned with the logo for The Tomb. Nostalgia runs through him at seeing the name. The place he first met J. Dick decides to check it out. 

When Dick gets through the doors of The Tomb, it’s still as dark and cavernous and packed with goth, punk and metal fans, all amassing on the dance floor in a sea of bodies moving in a wave with the dark menacing beat as one. Dick walks around the edge of the dance floor, not quite ready to dive in, but desperately missing the touch of another person.

Suddenly strong arms wrap around his waist and he’s pulled back away from the dance floor, towards the tables and booths nearer the bar, where the music’s quieter and you can manage to have a conversation without yelling your lungs out. He fights the arms as best he can totally unprepared and manages to swivel around to stare up at what turns out to be a very familiar face.

“Looks like I caught myself a little bird. How’ve you been pretty bird?” J says with a feral grin on his face. The red strobe lights highlight the white strip in his hair and for a single second Dick’s not sure if he’s dreaming or J’s really there.

“J?” Dick grips at his shoulders, blinking hard and hoping he’s real.

“The one and only, baby. Gotta say, I’ve been tracking you for the last three blocks. You need to learn to look up when you’re walking on the street.” J pulls him in tighter and this. _This_. This is what Dick’s needed. He’s needed J. J holding him and pulling him to sit in his lap in a nearby chair.

“You’re back! I can’t believe you didn’t tell me.” Dick slaps at J’s shoulder and pouts at him, aware the effect is ruined by how he can’t keep the smile off his face, despite his repeated attempts to look serious.

“And ruin the surprise?” J shakes his head, amused. “Besides I didn’t even know I was gonna be here this morning. Now that Bruce’s out of Gotham, it felt like the right time to come home.”

“How did you know Bruce was out of Gotham?” Dick tilts his head, curious because Dick hadn’t told him that. He wonders if Alfred had, but as far as he’s aware J’s not actually in contact with Alfred on a regular basis. J sent him a postcard or two, but Dick had seen the stamps on them. They’d been bounced around several South American countries before making it to Gotham. 

“The Cat-Lady told me. We have a professional connection.” J pulls Dick onto his lap a little closer and presses a kiss to the bare spot of skin where Dick’s neck and shoulders meet.

“Remind me to send Selina something nice as a thank you.” Dick beams up at J. “I did think it was odd she insisted that Bruce take her to the Bahamas so suddenly, but you coming back explains it.”

“Send Selina something nice. But not real nice. That’s just for me, sweetheart.” J smiles wide and sweet and Dick rolls his eyes at both the terrible joke and the innuendo. “Yeah, apparently she got fed up with B for complaining about me constantly. So, of course, I didn’t ask.”

“How long are you back for?” Dick bites his lip, hoping it’ll be longer that the two weeks Selina’s forcing Bruce to take in the Bahamas.

“For good. Hopefully.” J says, leaning in to press a quick kiss to Dick’s mouth. Dick can feel his eyes flutter shut and wonders if J can hear the quiet moan that just escaped. “Well, I might have to run off to Santa Prisca every now and then. I might’ve got myself some commitments there. But yeah, mostly for good.”

“Really?” Dick says against J’s mouth, trying to contain his excitement.

“Really.” J grins and kisses the breath from his lungs, pulling him in as tightly as the chair will allow. Dick wraps his arms around J’s shoulders and clings through it, happier than he can remember being since the last time they were alone. The kisses get heated and Dick wonders if they’re going to repeat the grinding that happened that first night.

“Damn kid, you really are a menace...” J pulls back with final kiss and a hard squeeze to Dick’s butt. 

“You love it.” Dick grins, biting his lip and looking up at J from under his lashes.

“I really do.” J lifts a hand to brush a stray lock of hair out of Dick’s eyes, and Dick feels his heart seize at the tender look in J’s eyes. “And as much fun as you working yourself on my cock always is, I kinda want to pull you into the middle of that dance floor and watch you get off riding my leg while everyone around us has no idea. You up for that?”

Dick can’t even speak; the air’s left his lungs with J’s suggestion. It’s all he can do to nod and not get down on his knees to beg for just that. Instead he manages to wiggle out of J’s lap, offering his hand to the older man and pulling him up and into the crowd once he takes it with a laugh. Dick pushes his way into what he thinks is the middle of the dance floor and lets J pull him in close, shoving his thick thigh between Dick’s thinner but no less muscled ones. His hands creep down to rest on the swell of Dick’s ass, not pushing or squeezing and the tease drives Dick a little crazier. 

Dick starts rocking, biting his lip and not daring to look away from J’s face as he does. He doesn’t want to know if people are actually watching. He wants to focus on the man he loves and the desperation he’s been feeling for _months_. A thrill goes up his spine as he rides J’s leg, grinding down on it, the friction so sweet after the last couple of months. His mouth drops open, hips moving faster than the low slow bass line that everyone around them seems to be following. The look of concentration on J’s face as he watches Dick move only forces Dick higher, loud whimpers and moans lost in the music. J’s hands on his ass anchor him to the spot, and Dick feels nearly overwhelmed, slipping into that perfect quiet headspace where nothing exists but him and J.

It doesn’t take long until he’s ready to blow, the situation sizzling under his skin as he rubs himself to ecstasy on J’s leg. It’s the same feeling as that first night, when Dick had thrown caution to the wind under the madness of lust in summer. This time when he comes, there are still strong arms around him as he slumps in J’s hold. He still feels safe and loved as he’s carried out of the club and into a taxi. Only this time it’s not a stranger sending him home. He opens his eyes and stares up at Jason as the taxi drives them off to the same warehouse that J used to use.

“You back with us, pretty bird?” J says fondly, pulling Dick closer in his arms.

“Just about.” Dick grins loosely. “Give me ten minutes and I can return the favour.”

J blinks at him in confusion for a second or two before snorting, amused, when he remembers when he asked for that. “Well, it’s not quite our first anniversary, but whatever you want, baby.”

“I’m so glad you’re back, I missed you so much.” Dick says, staring into J’s eyes. “I love you.”

“It’s good to _be_ back. I love you too, Dickie. I love you too.” J says and Dick knows it’s truer than those four little words could ever say.

**Author's Note:**

> Well, this is the last of this series! Thank you to everyone who's commented, liked or bookmarked, it really does mean a lot to me. :)


End file.
